I often get asked how to update for a new season: What are the insider design tips for creating a fresh take on a space to coordinate with the time of year? While the usual tricks are playing with layering and texture, seasonal style can still get a little more interesting.

"Theme décor" can be taken as gaudy decorations en masse – the usual characters plastered around. But there’s a way to amp up the chic when decorating for events that swap out the gaudy for glam. As you consider how to add some oomph to your space on a theme, you want to consider items that won’t read as tacky or juvenile. Avoid over-obvious pieces that you’ll wish would disappear faster than the holiday itself.

With Halloween just around the corner, I’m excited about sinister-inspired décor that offers a more permanent take on style, playing up the edginess that Halloween brings. There are a ton of fab finds around town that fit the bill for high-style spookiness that will be chic year round.

Designing a space begins with the walls; I’m a huge fan of fabulous wallpaper. Once a taboo aspect of old-school decorating, wallpaper has made a massive return to glory over the last few years. With so many advancements in the papers and their application, wallpaper is a fun and totally customizable way to add a huge hit of personality.

I recently came across The Red Palette, a local artist who converts her fine art into stunning wall coverings, and one is ideal for this time of year: An eerily chic skull print that adds both edge and depth to any room. Inspired by the sombre, darker work of Da Vinci, the “Kinda Punk Rock” paper is sure to make a kinda perfect backdrop to your Halloween décor. $425 per 2’ x 12’ roll décor

Lighting is another design aspect that can be themed without reading as over the top. Actually, with lighting, it’s nearly impossible to be over the top. There are so many lighting options available that it’s easy to put your own twist on style in a big way before traditional decorating even begins. So when you’re looking to amp up the edge for Halloween, the possibilities are endless. One of the best that I’ve come across lately is a blend of stark minimalism and organic business: The Apollo Pendant Lamp at Nineteen Ten Home is a black powder-coated frame that plays up sharp angles in the frame, yet creates a spider-web like appeal within. $265.

Hunting around town for other edgy accessories, I found a ton of options at Moe’s Home Collection. From decorative black florals and toss cushions, to a super chic, all-black Director Table Lamp, to a retro-inspired fashionable take on the classic black cat (the Walking Lion) – Moe’s has Halloween covered. I think that my ultimate pick for their Halloween décor item is the bronzed finish Bull Head 1; it’s a fresh twist on the more typical skull, but with a cozier feel that will transition well into later fall and winter décor. $465